Reverse plating of knitting fabrics



July 6, 1948. q. l.. GE'rAz 2,444,503

REVERSE PLATIN@ 0F KNITTING FABRICS f Filed oct. 12, 1945 V illll HTH* Patented July 6, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ff REVERSE PLATING OF KNITTING FABRICS I `.I ames L. Getaz, New York, N. Y. Application ctoberl, i945, Serial No. 621,866

' (ci. ees-14) 1l Claims.

This invention is related to the knitting of textile fabrics and particularly to the control of reverse plating in such fabrics.

As is well known in the knitting art, patterns of contrasting colors may be made in knitted fabrics by feeding two yarns of different colors to the knitting needles at the same time. By controlling the relative position of these ya'rns in the hooks of the needles "as knitting loops are drawn, either of these yarns may be made to appear on the face of the fabric, and b-y selecting first one yarn and thenv the other to be on the face of the fabric, patterns are formed.

' In'plain knitting on one set of needles, when two yarns of contrasting colors lie side by side in' the hook of any particular needle, that yarn which lies next to the shank of the knitting needle will appear on the face of the fabric in the stitch which is being made by that needle. In order to keep one of two yarns in position next to the shanks of the needles, it is customary to apply a greater tension to one of these yarns,

which draws that yarn against the shank of the needle and causes it to appear on the face of the fabric. Such a yarn with the greater ten-` sion is known as the face yarn.

The other yarn, which is known as the backing yarn, is fed 'with less tension, and takes a position in the hooks of the needles which' is adjacent to the face yarn and onr the outer side of the needle circle.

'In order to form patterns of rcontrasting colors, means are provided forv moving the outer yarn to the inner side of the hook for 'certain stitches where it is -desired for the color of the backing yarn to be on thesurface ofthe fabric. When these means for moving the outer yarn to the inner side of the hook are removed, the yarns resume their normal position, in whichthe yarnwhich is fed with greater tension is on the inner side of the hook when the stitch is drawn.

In knitting machines' which have superimposed cylinders and two sets of knitting needles, such as are used for knitting ribbed hose, the condi-- tions for plating in the lower cylinder are the same as described above'for plating in a machine with one set of needles. But in the upperl cylinder conditions' are reversed, and the yarn which has the greater tension land. lies next to the shank of the needles appears on the reverse sid-ev of those stitches which are made by the needles of the upper cylinder.

The result is that when a ribbed fabricis knitte'd with two yarns of contrasting colors in plating relation, all of the wales which are made by'- 'face Walesend panels of rib wales.

large gures of this kind, the yarn which liesv next to the shank of thel needles of the lower cylinder must be away fromv the shank'of the needles of the upper cylinder. As the yarns passy from a rib wale to a face wa1e,'or vice versa the relative position of the two yarns must 'bel reversed, if the color of the figure in the pattern the needles of the lowercylinder are of one color,

and these are known as face wales, While all 'ofl the Wales 4which are made by the needles inthe upper cylinder are of the other color and areV known as rib wales. When the' fabric is stretched, the rib wales show a contrasting colorL in vertical lines, and when the fabric contracts, all of the face Wales appear on the surfaceas a solid color, and the rib wales are underneath.A

patterns may be formed of contrasting colors in` the face wales which lie between panels of rib wales. But the width of these patterns'islim- -ited to the width of the panels of face wales.

When the fabric is contracted; these patterns' show small figures on a solid backgrour'idybut when the fabric is stretched, the vertical linesof rib wales have the same color as thepatternsf in the face wales and the effect of therpattern is spoiled.v On the other hand, if the areas of face wales is widened in order to get bold patterns, the ribbed effect of the fabric is destroyed.

By the means shown in this invention, in patternswhich are formed by reverse plating, large' figures of one color may extend across'panels' of is to remain the same'. l

It' is the purposev of this invention to provide means for controlling the plating of ribbed fab:L

ries in both face and rib wales, so that either of two contrasting colors maybe made to appear'y on1 the face of the fabric in any'stitch of 'any' Wale. By the means shown below, this invention may be used to produce either large or's'malli patterns of contrasting colors in any combina-r`v tion of face and rib wales which may be desirT able for the construction of the ribbed fabric.

'l'."o'accomplish the purpose of this invention,

use is made of plating elements, one of which is associated with each needle and is so controlledv as to place the yarns in their desired relative po-l sitions in the hook of each needle. In'the accompanying drawings; Fig. l. is a half section through the cylinder of` a knitting machine embodying this invention.

` Fig. 2 is a section along line 2 2 of Fig .11.

Fig. 3 is a section along line 3-3 of Figjfl.

In knitting l Fig. 4 is an elevation showing the feeding ngers by which yarns are fed to the needles.

Fig. 5 shows the face and backing yarns in the hook of a needle of the lower cylinder with the plating element between the two yarns. The yarns as shown in this figure are in position to place the face yarn on the outside of a face wale.

Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 4, showing the yarns in position to place the backing yarn on the outside of a face Wale.

Fig. '7 is similar to Fig.` 5, showing the yarnsin the hook of a needle of the upper cylinder in position to place the face yarn on the outside of a rib Wale.

Fig. 8 is similar to Fig. 6, showing the yarns in position to place the backing yarn on'the'outside of a rib Wale.

In Fig. 1, the upper cylinder I I is superimposed on the lower cylinder I2 for knitting ribbed fabric. Cylinder I2 is of the same design as is commonly used on. machines of this type. Cylinder I:I is4 g-roovedon the outer side with slots I3 for: the sliders and needles in the same manner as-is commonly used on machines of this type, and in addition isgrooved onv the inner side with slots I 4. Slots i4 are of the same number and approximate-width as slots I3, as shown in Fig. 3, butare oiset from slots I3, as is explained below.

'superimposed on cylinder I I is cylinder I5, which is grooved on the outer side with slots I6, whicharethe same in number and radial position `as slots I, The Walls rI'I between the slots I5 extendvbelow the body of cylinder I5 and rest onfigearfring 45, so-that cylinderfl is held in place'by-'these extended Walls I'I. By this constructionthere is a space in the slots I1 above cylinder I-Irand below the body of cylinder I5 Whichis open. `The purpose of this open space between the walls Iflis to permit the plating elements I8 to be removed and `replaced without disturbing thecylinders I I or I5.

The plating elements I8 have their upper portionin :slots I5 on the outer side of cylinderl, and their Y-lower portion in slotslll on the inner sidesofcylinder II. These plating elements I8 have-attheir lower extremity a horizontal portion Iva-which extends `between cylinder II and verge plate 20, andthe slots I4 areso positioned with reference I3 that theportion Iflof each plating element-is betweena needle and an adjacent verge bit. yAt thevouter end of portion I9 is `-a Avertical point 2l, which projects downwardly, and it is this'vertical point 2i which controls the relative position of the plating yarns.

The face yarn A is fed through iinger 22,1 and thebacking yarn B through finger 23, as shown in'Figures 3 and 4. Each of the elements I8 are n selected and given one of tWoradial-motions by the-mechanism attached to cylinder I5, as described below. In one of these radial motions, the point 2i follows' the path 24 and in the other it/follows path 25. In following path 24, the point-`2I will pass outside of iinger 22 and inside of finger 23. It will be between yarns A and B. as it` approaches the knitting point holding yarn A nextto* the cylinder. If the needle 50, with which =point 2l is associated, is in the lower cylinder its position between the yarns is as shown in Fig. 5 and yarn A will appear on the face of the fabric. If the needle 5I, with which point22|fis associated, is in the upper cylinder, its position between the yarns will be as shown in Fig.H 8- and `Yarn B will appear on the face of the fabric.

If element I 8 has been so selected that point 2| will follow path 25, it will pass inside of i'lnger 22 and outside of iinger 23. It will be between the yarns as it approaches the knitting point holding yarn B next to the cylinder. If the needle with which point 2I is associated is in the lower cylinder, its position between the yarns is as shown in Fig. 6 and yarn B will appear on the face of the fabric. If the needle Withwhich point A2| is associated is in the upper cylinder, its position between the yarns is as shown in Fig. 7, and yarn A will appear on the face of the fabric. The guards 28 and 28 are for the purpose of guiding the points 2| along paths 24 and 25 on the inward radial motion of elements I8.

The needles SII, which are in the lower cylinder, draw the loops over the sinkers 2B, as shown in Figures 5 and 7. To hold the yarns in their relative position while the loops are being drawn, the lower extremity of points 2l shouldnot be above the upper edge-of the sinkers 26, yWhile there should be sufficient space for the fabric between the v,points 2| and the sinkerswhile Athe loops are being shed. To insure thatv the yarns are being held in the relative position-as determinedby the motion of the plating elements, the sinkers26 have a hump. 21, which comes underpoints 2I `when the sinkers are out, and-this hump holds the yarns high enoughso that they are above the lower extremity vof points .-2I. When the stitch is shed, this hump passes to the position shown in Fig. l, and space is left between thepoints 2I and the sinkers 26 for the. fabric, tomove as the loops on the needles are being shed.

`The I following mechanism connected with cylinder I5 is forV the purpose of selecting and con@ trolling the radial movements of plating elements I8. `inthe upperportion of slotsIS the jacks 3Ilf areheld in `place by bandl, and have a ver tical sliding motion. Their 'downward` movement is `imparted by a seriesfof cams 32, acting on butts 33, which-move jacks 3D into the position shown in- -Fig. 1. The contact between-cams32 and butts 33 is controlled by the selector drum: 34. Below dacks in slots IE are jacksva, which are moveddownward to the position shown in Fig. l 'by butt ''vacting 4against butt 3l. These cams :-38-an.d 39, as Ishown in Figsfl and 2,-arel mounted on the frame of ythe knitting machine: an-d engage :butts 31 of jacks 36. These cams are so mounted that they may be `withdrawn from: conta-ct with butts 31 when the heel and toe are beingknit. Cam J 38 is located directly abovethe vouter portion of path24 andcam 39 is-above the-outer portion of path 25.

If vjack 36 has been -pressed downward to the vposi-tion shown inFig. l, butt-3l is pressed inward by cam' 38,.which causes jack-36 t'o rock on pivot ML-.and its lower extremity 4I moves outward. Resting on jack 36 in the lower portion of` slot IB is .theupper portion of plating elementi I8, which turns about the pivot 42 vand is held in Aits vertical position and-against-jack 35 by-band-AS. 'The outward motion of the lower extremity 4I of jack tilv causes an outward radial movement of plating element I8 when it passes thenspace `below cam 38, andthis causespoint 2 I lto follow path 24.

If iacks 3B and 3E have not been pressed downward by the action of selector vdrum 34, but remain in the-dotted positions shown in Fig. 1,`butt 31-engages-cam 39, which causes jack-36 to rock i on pivotdzand .press-:plating elements; I8 outward when it passes the space below cam 39, which` causes point 2 to follow path 25. After jacks 3E pass cams 38 and 39, a stationary cam, whichl is not shown, acts on butt 3l and raises jacks36 and 3U to the dotted-position shown in Fig. 1. By removing the band 43, any one of the plating elements I8 maybe removed and replaced without disturbing other parts ofthe machine.

By means of this invention, as described above, the position of the yarns A and B, on the front or reverse side of any stitch .may be controlled by the selector drum 34. If jack 36 is pressed down to engage cam 38, it causes plating element I8 to move in a radial motion, when passing below cam 38 and causes point 2| to move in path 24.v This places yarn A on the outside of the stitch being formed if the needle is in the lower cylinder, yand yarn B on the, outside if the stitch is in .the upper cylinder. l

Similarly, if jack 36 is not pressed down and vremains in the dotted positionit engages cam 39 and causes plating element i8 to move in a radial motion when passing below cam 39 and causes ypoint 2l to move in path 25. This places yarn B on the outside of the stitch being found if the needle is in the lower cylinder, and yarn A on .the outside if the stitch is in the upper cylinder.

I claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine, a lower cylinder, an upper cylinder axially opposed to said lower cylinder, grooves in 4the outer surfaces of said cylinders, independent needles in said grooves of said lower cylinder and said upper cylinder, plating elements associ-ated with said needles, means for feeding a plurality of yarns to said needles in plating relation, means for drawing loops of said yarns by said needles in said lower cylinder, means for holding said yarns in desired plating relation in said loops by said plating el-ements while said loops of said yarn are drawn by said needles in said lower cylinder, means for drawing loops of said yarn by said needles in said upper cylinder, means for holding said yarns in desired plating relation in said loops by said plating elements while said loops of said yarn are drawn by said needles in said upper cylinder.

2. In a circular knitting machine, a lower cylinder, an upper cylinder axially opposed to said lower cylinder, grooves in the outer surfaces of said cylinders, independent needles in said grooves f said lower cylinder and said upper cylinder, plating elements associ-ated with said needles, means for feeding a plurality of yarns to said needles in plating relation, means for drawing loops of said yarns by said needles in said lower cylinders, means for moving said plating elements to select the plating relation of s-aid yarns in said loops before said loops are drawn by said' needles in said lower cylinder, and means for moving said plating elements to select the plating relation of said yarns in said loops before said loops are drawn by sai-d needles in said upper cylinder.

3. In a circular knitting machine, a lower cylinder, an upper cylinder axially opposed to said lower cylinder, grooves in the ou-ter surfaces of said cylinders, independent needles in said grooves of said lower cylinder and said upper cylinder, means for feeding yarns to sai-d needles in plating relation, plating elements associated with said needles, means for placing said plating elements between said yarns, means for drawing stitches of saldyarns by said needles in said lowercyl-Iy lower cylinder, grooves in the outer surfacesof said cylinders, independent needles. in said grooves, plating y elements associated with said needles, means for feeding a face yarn and a backing yarn to said needles, means for selecting said plating elements into two groups, means for placing said plating elements in one of said groups in a position outside of said face yarn Iand inside of said backing yarn, means for placing said,

plating elements in the other of said groups in a position onthe inside of said face yarn and on the outside kof sai-d backing yarn, means for drawing loops of said yarn by the needles in said lower cylinder, and means for drawing loops of said yarn by the needles in said upper cylinder.

5. In a circular knittingl machine, a lower cylinder, an upper cylinder axially opposed to ysaid lower cylinder, grooves in the outer surfaces of said cylinders, independent needles in said grooves, means for feeding afplurality ofl yarns to said needles in plating relation, additional grooves on the inner surfaces of said upper cylinder, plating elements in said additional grooves, means for controlling the plating relation of said yarns in said needles by the movement of said plating elements.

6. In a circular knitting machine, a lower cylinder, an upper cylinder axially opposed to said lower cylinder, grooves in the outer surfaces of said cylinders, independent needles in said grooves, means for feeding a plurality of yarns to said needles in plating relation, additional grooves on the inner surface of said upper cylinder, plating elements in said additional grooves, means for controlling the plating relation of said yarns ln said needles in said lower cylinder by the movement of said plating elements, and means for controlling the plating relation of said yarns in said needles in said upper cylinder by the movement of said plating elements.

7. In a circular knitting machine, a lower cylinder, an upper cylinder axially opposed to said lower cylinder, grooves in th'e outer surfaces of said cylinders, independent needles in said grooves, means for feeding yarns to said needles in plating relation, additional grooves on the inner surface of said upper cylinder, a superimposed cylinder in line axially with said upper and lower cylinders, grooves in the outer surface of said superimposed cylinder, plating elements in said additional grooves of said upper cylinder and extending within said grooves of said superimposed cylinder, means for controlling the relative position of said yarns as lfed to said needles by controlling the movements of said plating elements.

8. In a circular knitting machine with rotating cylinder, grooves in the outer surface of said cylinder, independent needles in said grooves, plating elements associated with said grooves, a yarn linger situated outside of said cylinder, means for moving said plating elements radially outward to pass outside of said yarn linger, and means for moving said plating elements radially inward after passing said yarn linger.

9. In a circular knitting machine with knitting cylinder, grooves in the outer surface of said cylinder, independent needles in said grooves, platfA lng elements associated With said needles,a nger for feeding a face yarn to said needles on the outside of said cylinder, a, knitting point at which loops of' said yarn are drawn by said need1eS,-a nger for feeding a backing yarn located between said face yarn finger and said knitting point, means for-nioving'said plating elements radially outside of saidl face yarn nger, and means for moving said plating elements radially inward before reaching said backing yarn finger` 10. In a circular knittingV machine with knitting cylinder, grooves inthe outersurface of said cylinder,l independent needles in said grooves, plating elements associated with said needles, a finger for feeding a -face yarn to said needles, a knitting point at which loops` of saidv yarn are drawn by said needles, a finger for feeding a backing yarn located between said face yarn iinger and said knitting point, means for moving said plating elements radially outward between said yarn iingers, and means for moving said plating elements radially inward after they pass said backing yarn finger. 1

411'1.In a circular knitting machine, a knitting cylinder, grooves inthe outer surface of said cylinder, independent needles in said grooves, means for'feeding` a face yarn and a backing yarn to said needles, plating elements associated with 'said' needles, means for selecting one of two paths for the movement of said plating elements, one of said paths being outside of said face yarn and f inside of said backing yarn, and the other of said paths being inside of said face yarn and outside of said backing yarn.

- JAMES L. GETAZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

